Gutsy golf-club granny collars crim in Flying Squad bust

A middle-aged heroine was hailed by Scotland Yard today for her part in helping the Flying Squad arrest a gang of violent crooks who were attempting a robbery at her golf club.

According to the Yard, the famous Flying Squad had got wind of the gang's plan to snatch cash as it was being removed from the Perivale Golf Club by a cash-in-transit operator. Detectives from the squad, backed by specialist armed officers from the Metropolitan Police firearms team CO19 were at the scene as the three masked robbers struck.

The gang were plainly hard cases, menacing the armoured-van operative at knifepoint and seizing a box containing £3,500 in cash. They then fled the scene – straight into the arms of the waiting police. According to a Met statement, cuffing the trio was no simple matter: the robber with the cash box hit an armed CO19 SWAT-cop with it, concussing him, breaking several bones in his hand and causing head injuries which later necessitated 19 stitches. The blagger was then brought down by other CO19 cops.

Meanwhile the cashbox crim's two accomplices were also trying to make good an escape. One was arrested nearby, but the third ran into the unnamed heroine of the story, a 66-year-old lady who had just arrived at the club for her golf lesson. According to the cops the courageous golfer "initially grabbed" the fleeing blagger before pursuing plods arrived and took over.

According to the Met statement:

A 20-year-old man was charged with robbery, possession of an offensive weapon and GBH with intent to resist arrest. A 21-year-old man and a 19-year-old man were charged with robbery. They appeared at Tower Bridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 27 September and were remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey in January 2012.

"I pay tribute to the professionalism of all the officers involved and to the member of the public who had the courage to assist police," said Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Brian Dillon. ®